Local boxing notebook: Martinez looking for next opponent

Last Saturday night the linear middleweight champion and Oxnard resident stopped Matthew Macklin inside the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Although Martinez was a considerable favorite going into the scheduled 12-round bout, Macklin was ready to go blow for blow with one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world.

Macklin, who lives in Birmingham, England, and is of Irish descent, scored a knockdown over Martinez in the seventh round, even though it looked like Martinez was off-balance when Mackling threw a punch.

However, Martinez was able to gain the upper hand a round later, eventually dropping Macklin twice in the 11th round, courtesy of vicious left hands to the head. After the 11th round, Macklin's corner told referee Eddie Cotton to stop the fight.

The Argentine-born Martinez (49-2-2, 28 KOs) would love to fight either Floyd Mayweather or Manny Pacquiao next. But Mayweather is scheduled to fight in May and Pacquiao has a bout in June, and neither has expressed any interest in getting in the ring with Martinez.

Another fighter Martinez has wanted to fight is Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. The Mexican-born fighter possesses the WBC middleweight title — the same belt Martinez held before the sanctioning body stripped him of the title under mysterious circumstances.

According to Martinez's promoter, Lou DiBella, the hope for the 37 year-old is to fight twice more in 2012 and against a high-profile fighter. One fighter could be Chavez, but DiBella is not holding his breath.

"I'm looking at the best fight out there for him," Dibella said on Wednesday. "I know he (Martinez) is not getting any younger. I've had conversations with Bob Arum (Chavez's promoter) about a possible fight. I'm working for the best possible fight for Sergio."

DiBella did say last week that Martinez's next fight could take place in Southern California, as Martinez has hoped to have a bout close to Oxnard.

Chavez Jr. is scheduled to return to the ring on Saturday, June 16, at the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas.

THREE WINNERS

Aside from Martinez winning on Saturday, three Oxnard-based fighters were also victorious.

On the undercard of the Martinez-Macklin card, heavyweight Magomed Abdusalamov stopped Jason Pettaway in the fourth round of a scheduled 10-round bout. The Russian-born Abdusalamov, who trains in Oxnard, battered Pettaway before the doctors advised referee David Fields to stop the fight at 1:20. Abdusalamov won the vacant WBC United States heavyweight title and improved his record to 14-0 with 14 KOs.

On Friday night, light middleweight Alfonso Blanco stopped Eddie Cordova in the fifth round at the Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio. Blanco, a 2008 Olympian from Venezuela, dropped Cordova in the first round and battered him throughout the fight.

In the fifth round, Blanco began to hurt Cordova, prompting referee Dr. Lou Moret to stop the fight at 1:13 and save Cordova from further punishment. Blanco, who is trained by Oxnard's Robert Garcia, goes to 8-0 with 3 KOs.

Also on Friday night, super lightweight Irving Garcia stopped Jalani Wilson in the third round at the Quiet Cannon in Montebello.

Garcia improves to 6-1, with 4 KOs, while Wilson of Victorville falls to 0-1-1.

Garcia (7-2-1, 6 KOs) has won his last four bouts in a row. In his last bout in November, Garcia won a hard-fought, four-round unanimous decision over Hugo Ramos in Los Angeles. He is trained by his uncle, Robert Garcia.

This will be Garcia's first time fighting in an eight-round bout, while Roman has fought an eight-rounder just once. Roman (13-0, 10 KOs) resides in Garden Grove.